Texas Administrative Code Title 16 Chapter 18 Underground Pipeline Damage Prevention

Damage Prevention Manager DIG-TESS Doug Meeks, CHST Damage Prevention Manager DIG-TESS 25 years experience in underground utility construction/maintenance 15 years experience in occupational safety dougmeeks@digtess.org

Chapter 18 Damage Prevention Brochures Are now available online: www.rrc.state.tx.us Overview of Chapter 18 requirements; Provide information on how to file a TDRF report.

Excavator Brochure Front part of the brochure discusses calling the notification center and what you are required to do after the call.

Excavator Brochure The other side has helpful information about our rule and reporting requirements. The dark blue panel has step-by-step instructions on getting to the online filing system.

One-Call tickets expire after 14 working days! REQUEST LOCATES From The Office – Online With GeoRemote In The Field - Call 811 At least 48 hours in advance; Not more than 14 working days prior to beginning the work. One-Call tickets expire after 14 working days!

After The Call: Before Your Start Date You should expect “Positive Response” by the pipeline operator within 48 hours. The operator will either: Respond by fax or e-mail that their pipeline is “All Clear”; or Mark the approximate location of the pipeline with the appropriate APWA marking color; or Arrange for a meeting or communicate any special instructions.

AT THE JOBSITE White line the work area? Required meeting at the site? One-call ticket? On site or produce it within 1 hour; Refresh ticket if the job lasts more than 14 working days.

SITE ASSESSMENT Observe for indications of an unmarked pipeline in the area. Examples include: Pipeline ROW markers or old paint markings; Valve boxes, meters, risers, or regulators; Street cuts or ditchlines; If pipelines are not marked or cleared within 48 hours, submit a 2nd request for facility locates. The pipeline operator has 4 hours to respond to a second request. Should you dig without locates?

Avoiding Damage Excavator must exercise reasonable care to prevent damage to the pipeline. This typically requires: Protect and preserve locate markings; Request relocates as necessary; No mechanized excavation equipment within 18” either side of the pipeline; Proper backfill and compaction.

What Is “Damage” Puncturing or severing the pipeline. The Obvious: Puncturing or severing the pipeline. Cracked or chipped coating Dents or scrapes Displacement Tracer wire Valve boxes Anodes

BLOWING GAS? Abandon equipment in place and call 911 Keep people and vehicles out of the area; Eliminate ignition sources; Evacuate if necessary; Wait for the fire department and facility operator; Do not attempt to repair! Do not cover it up!

REQUIRED REPORTING File an electronic report on-line at ww.rrc.state.tx.us within 10 days if: You damage a pipeline; The pipeline operator fails to provide a “Positive Response” within 48 hours; or The pipeline operator fails to respond within 4 hours of 2nd notice.

REQUIRED REPORTING Why should you file? $1000 fine per violation for non-compliance; They need your side of the story to ensure a complete investigation. The Top Ten Root Causes provided through the TDRF system as of yet depicts only part of the story.

TOP TEN Damages by Root Cause This chart shows the TOP TEN root causes reported so far. Please note that the yellow, excavator-related causes of damage make up about 75% of the chart. This may reflect the fact that operators make up the majority of our current filers. What would you expect this chart to look like if our excavators were filing?

For reporting questions: www.rrc.state.tx.us Call 512-475-0512 TDRFInfo@rrc.state.tx.us

www.onecalltexas.com www.digtess.org www.rrc.state.tx.us www.commongroundalliance.com This happens to be in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I like this photo because it remember me, not all pipelines are buried.. Some of them run on the sides of bridges and other are suspended over rivers or ravines. This happens to be in Carlsbad, New Mexico. This was one of the worst pipeline incidents we had in the United States in the last decade. 12 people, one family, camping in this raven, kind of hard to see how deep that is. There a leak in this particular pipeline and it had no odorant in it. You can not small the gas in it. We don’t know what the sores of ignorant was, but ten of them died there that day and one of them died later in a Lubbock hospital. Places you can get some more information on the one call law. OPS web site, Digtess web site and OnecallTexas web site.